Halloween is right around the corner and if you’re looking for something fun to do with the kids, this easy DIY ghost garland is a perfect activity to get everyone in the spooky spirit. It’s simple to make and you just need a few materials that you probably already have. It’s perfect for little helpers who are getting excited for Halloween and it’s a fun way to kick off decorating for October 31. All you need is some tissue paper, glue, and twine and a little bit of glitter if you like a bit of sparkle. View Post

Who else always gets to the day after Halloween and wonders what to do with all the candy they’ve got kicking around the house? I know a few parents who trade their kid’s candy for money or a toy but if you’re like me and have a sweet tooth, you don’t mind the extra treats in the house (should I mention here that I do ration the candy/ hide it so the sugar rushes are somewhat avoided?).

Now that the trick- or- treating is behind us, why not do something fun with all that candy? Have you ever made chocolate bark? It’s pretty much the simplest thing you can make and it’s a great way to use up some of those sweets (and not that I want to bring up Christmas the day after Halloween, but this would be cute to make for the holidays- just wrap it up in cellophane). You can use melting chocolate like I did or chop up a bunch of those mini bars and melt them for the bark. The options for this are endless- you just have to pick your favourites to use and try not to eat them all as you go!

Ingredients:

– melting chocolate (you can also chop up mini chocolate bars & use them instead)

– assorted candy

– sprinkles

Directions:

1. Begin by brining a pot of water to a boil & melting the chocolate in a double boiler (I use a Pyrex jug to make it easier to grab/ hold onto to pour out the melted chocolate).

2. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.

3. Take all your candy out of the wrappers (and try not to eat too much while you do! 😉 )

4. When the chocolate has melted, pour it onto your baking sheet and use a spatula to spread it out until it’s about 1/8″ thick (I totally failed on getting out the lumps/ air bubbles 😉 ).

5. Now for the best part! Toss on your candies & sprinkles to your heart’s content. Allow to cool- pop in the fridge for about half an hour to help it set/ solidify faster.

6. When the chocolate has cooled/ hardened, break the bark into pieces and enjoy!

Who’s ready for the spooky fun that is Halloween??? A little while ago I got together with some of my local blogger friends for a Halloween dessert photoshoot inspired by all things orange & black (see some sneak peaks on Instagram here and here) where we all pitched in with some yummy treats all for this fun & spooky day. I opted to make marshmallow pops since they’re a super cute and simple treat (based on those IG photos I’d say these were a hit! 😉 ) and because I’m a total sucker for anything dipped in sprinkles. You pretty much only need 3 ingredients to make these and you can go as crazy or as simple as you like. Up the Halloween factor with some party straws in matching colours and you’re set! I love how they turned out and had fun mixing up different combos of sprinkles (love the skulls & crossbones!). If you have a Halloween party coming up another cute idea would be to wrap these in cellophane with a pretty ribbon as a cute favour or for school parties. All you need is 10 minutes and the willpower not to eat them as you go!

Ingredients/ supplies:

– chocolate chips/ melts (I went for white, orange & milk chocolate)

– sprinkles

– large marshmallows

– party straws

– scissors (if you want to cut down the straws)

– parchment paper

Directions:
1. Place a Pyrex jug in a pot and fill approx 2/3 with water; bring to a boil at high heat
2. Meanwhile cut your straws in half and insert into the marshmallows; pour your sprinkles into shallow dishes for dipping and tear of a piece of parchment paper big enough to place the quantity of marshmallows you want to dip
3. When water is close to a boil or boiling, pour your choice of chocolate into the Pyrex jug and melt
4. Stir the chocolate until it’s melted & smooth and dip your marshmallows, then roll them in your choice of sprinkles
5. Place the marshmallows on the parchment to cool. When ready, transfer to your serving dish/ platter and enjoy! 🙂

Each year the Stanley Park Ghost Train offers up a fun and spooky seasonal activity where riders take a fun journey through a world constructed by Halloween and other creepy tales. This year’s theme is ‘Classic Horror’, complete with lights, sounds, and live performers. The classic night train is a popular attraction for those seeking a creepy thrill, while the matinee train rides are suited more for families, school groups, and groups with children (there are no live performers during the matinee train rides). There are also a variety of other activities to check out when you visit, including the Spooky Barn, Creature Feature Tent, Lantern- Lit Walks, and more. To help you get in the spooky spirit there will be live music on select nights from local bands. The Ghost Train’s partner charity is the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society, and visitors are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items for the food bank. See below for all the details on this fun Halloween attraction and how you can WIN one of two pairs of tickets to the Ghost Train for October 15th.

Hours

October 9 – November 1, 2015. (Closed October 12 for Thanksgiving Day).

Night Train

Monday to Thursday: 5:30pm to 9:30pm

Friday to Sunday: 5:30pm to 10:00pm

Matinee Train

Friday to Sunday, 11:00am to 5:30pm The train is covered, but dress warmly.

If the time slot you want is sold out online a portion of tickets for each night are reserved for on-site purchase, so even if online tickets are sold out for that day, there will still be tickets for sale on-site. However, since this event is so popular, tickets for the day can sell out quickly, so go early!

On-site ticket sales start at 3:00pm (11:00am for matinee trains, Friday to Sunday). You can buy same day tickets only.

About this Year’s Theme, ‘Classic Horror’

Lights…camera…all aboard!!

Back from the graveyards of yesteryear comes the most gripping, exciting, and spine-tingling creatures ever to haunt the Stanley Park Train! Dracula, Frankenstein, the Phantom of the Opera, and more, as they come back to life from behind the silver screen to haunt you, chill you, and thrill you! This weird and wild adventure will take you back to a time when moving pictures dared to unearth the shadows that lay sleeping in the dark recesses of our minds.

More Activities

Spooky Barn

The 2nd annual Spooky Barn is open during all operating hours. Enjoy this fun indoor, haunted addition to our family friendly event. Escape from the weather and have a Spooky good time for just $2 per person. The Spooky Barn will be available for both matinee and evening show times.

Creatures of the Night – presented by the Stanley Park Ecology Society (SPES)

Classic horror films, such as The Mummy (1932), and Dracula (1931) will be showing at night in a tent beside the Ticket Booth. During the matinee trains, children’s films will be showing, such as Hotel Transylvania.

Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkins are available on site for $5 each.

Activities Tent

Nightly feature activities (5:30pm onwards), such as face painting and colouring sheets.
Both Saturday and Sunday matinees will have face painting.
There will be no activities on Halloween night,

Costume Contest

October 27 at 7pm in the picnic tent
Kids 17 and under can enter. Prizes will be awarded for best costume in each age group.

Costume Sales

Net proceeds will go to SPES & the Vancouver Food Bank. Adult-sized costumes used in previous Ghost Train performances will be on sale, on Tuesdays October 13 and 20, from 6-9pm.

ENTER TO WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO THE GHOST TRAIN!
Visit the blog’s Facebook page to enter.

I admit it: I’ve started my Christmas shopping. But I know I’m not the only one! Every year I try to think of gifts that aren’t just picked up from a big- box store from a selection of made- in- China toys; instead I look for ones that are unique and fun. And before you tell me you don’t have the time to shop like that, don’t forget the virtues of online shopping my friends!

In my hunt for some gift ideas for my nephews I came across Curiosity Box, an Ontario- based company that offers subscription options for your kiddos to receive craft & activity boxes shipped right to your door. And let’s face it: what kid doesn’t love getting something in the mail? Add to that anticipation the fun of creating something that encourages creativity and I think we have a winning idea. When I ordered the craft boxes for my nephews, the company generously offered up one of their Halloween Fun Curiousity Boxes for our family to try. Who could say no to that offer???

Photo: K Petrunia

When they arrived in the mail last week I couldn’t wait to dive in and get crafting! (Can you tell I’m a DIYer at heart???) Each box contains the materials and glue needed for 3 crafts, plus an activity. I noticed there were even a few bonus items to play with- all matching the theme of the box. Our box contained the materials to make a bat sock puppet, a foam haunted house, & a tissue paper jack- o- lantern; a nice variety of crafts and sharable if you have multiple kids to entertain (or in our case, 2 adults and an enthusiastic 16- month old!).

When Will came home home from work the 3 of us dug into the crafting: he took over construction of the haunted house while Ari and I started on the bat sock puppet. I really liked the instruction pamphlet that came with the box that had easy-to- follow instructions (perfect for younger kids in need of some direction) and that the materials for each craft were organized into separate bags to keep everything organized.

We stretched the crafting over 2 nights since we wanted to allow the glue to dry on the haunted house and with a little help from some tape to hold the roof in place, it came together. On night 2 of our crafting adventure we added the finishing touches to the haunted house & made the tissue pumpkin (you can see the finished projects below). I’d say the three of us did pretty good. 😉

I really like that this is a fun gift idea that encourages creativity, following steps, and can be a group activity. For the variety of projects you get I don’t think you’d be able to buy the supplies cheaper at a craft or dollar store, and I think there’s a fun novelty about receiving the boxes in the mail. The only tip I have is that for older kids who can be trusted with one, a cool glue gun may be a good idea to help the projects come together a little quicker. Otherwise you simply have to wait for the glue to dry (but hey, a good lesson in patience isn’t bad either).

All finished!

Whadya think???

Photo: K Petrunia

You can order from the Curiosity Box website, with options for a single box, 3 month, 6 month, or 12 month subscription. (Subscriptions start at $25.95/ month, $24.95/ month, and $23.95/ month, respectively; prices vary for individual boxes).

You can also find them on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram: @Curiosityboxcrafts, and other social media sites.

A big thank you to Curiosity Box for giving us a Halloween Fun box to try out- we had a lot of fun! OXOX TPB